Sqeggs Posted March 9, 2018 Share Posted March 9, 2018 Two copies of Lois Lane 1 sold last night on CLink. One was an 8.5 and the highest graded copy on the CGC census. The other was an 8.0. Here are the hammer prices: 8.5 $25,250 8.0 $5,460 Granted, the 8.5 does look significantly better and does have much better pq (and, of course, maybe there was a problem with the bc of the 8.0). But still, these results seem to indicate an extraordinary premium being paid for relatively small differences between two very similar copies. And I don't think I'd be any too happy if I were the consignor of the 8.0 copy to have had it in the same auction as the 8.5 copy! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
telerites Posted March 9, 2018 Share Posted March 9, 2018 This amazes me for a .5 difference (and/or being the census topper) in grading to go so many multiples over. Some folks like being the top dog but oftentimes that position is short-lived. With CPR and even just with plain resubs as grading is subjective, a book could easily move (or down). I remember when we were happy ordering books through mail order and being labeled as VF. And it's not just with this result, I see it with a difference between a 9.2 and 9.4 and the 9.4 not the census topper. I guess with many folks it is buy the label not the book . Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Flex Mentallo Posted March 9, 2018 Share Posted March 9, 2018 It may also be exacerbated when concerning books with deep background colors that show every bit of wear. The buyer may feel it is less likely that they will be overtopped....? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mr. Lady Luck Posted March 9, 2018 Share Posted March 9, 2018 I think page quality and eye appeal may have played a factor here. To me, the 8.5 looks so much nicer. I can't believe they're only .5 apart. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mr. Lady Luck Posted March 9, 2018 Share Posted March 9, 2018 But still... $25,000! That's Millie Money! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sqeggs Posted March 9, 2018 Author Share Posted March 9, 2018 32 minutes ago, Mr. Lady Luck said: But still... $25,000! That's Millie Money! Yeah, I think it jumped at the end. The last time I checked the auction, it was only at about $15K. A number of us marveled a few years ago when the Spokane copy of Phantom Stranger 1 sold for $23K. But that was a 9.4, pedigree copy of a really tough book. LL 1 is also a tough book, but that price sure seems out there. If a higher graded copy surfaces, I imagine this copy would lose at least half its value. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sqeggs Posted March 9, 2018 Author Share Posted March 9, 2018 42 minutes ago, Flex Mentallo said: It may also be exacerbated when concerning books with deep background colors that show every bit of wear. The buyer may feel it is less likely that they will be overtopped....? 39 minutes ago, Mr. Lady Luck said: I think page quality and eye appeal may have played a factor here. To me, the 8.5 looks so much nicer. I can't believe they're only .5 apart. The 8.5 does look nicer, but the colors on the 8.0 also seem strong to me, and it has a better wrap. Maybe this is one of those cases where two people sniped in preemptive bids, not expecting they would actually have to pay this much. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
adamstrange Posted March 9, 2018 Share Posted March 9, 2018 1 hour ago, Mr. Lady Luck said: But still... $25,000! That's Millie Money! At least it wasn't Patsy money! Junkdrawer and Mr. Lady Luck 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gotham Kid Posted March 9, 2018 Share Posted March 9, 2018 (edited) We've seen time and again absurd amounts paid for "highest graded copies" only to see those same books topple as single highest or having to share top spot with others. Edited March 9, 2018 by Gotham Kid Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
N e r V Posted March 9, 2018 Share Posted March 9, 2018 3 hours ago, Sqeggs said: Two copies of Lois Lane 1 sold last night on CLink. One was an 8.5 and the highest graded copy on the CGC census. The other was an 8.0. Here are the hammer prices: 8.5 $25,250 8.0 $5,460 Granted, the 8.5 does look significantly better and does have much better pq (and, of course, maybe there was a problem with the bc of the 8.0). But still, these results seem to indicate an extraordinary premium being paid for relatively small differences between two very similar copies. And I don't think I'd be any too happy if I were the consignor of the 8.0 copy to have had it in the same auction as the 8.5 copy! There are better 8.0’s out there too. Although my picture of it could have been better.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lou_fine Posted March 9, 2018 Share Posted March 9, 2018 (edited) 3 hours ago, Mr. Lady Luck said: I think page quality and eye appeal may have played a factor here. To me, the 8.5 looks so much nicer. I can't believe they're only .5 apart. +1 In full agreement with you here that there definitely appears to be a much larger than a 0.5 grade difference between these 2 copies. In no way, does that CGC 8.0 graded copy looks anywhere close to an 8.0 copy. For example, I was just looking at another CGC 8.0 graded copy of a book in the current CC auction and it clearly looks far superior to this Lois Lane #1: https://www.comicconnect.com/bookDetail.php?id=719786 Of course, it's a GA book and might be attributed to different graders as I have found that the grading on GA books seems to be tougher than on SA books over the past year or so. Then again, it's also a Green label book and probably the reason why CGC pounded it down to only a 8.0 grade for the missing coupon. Absolutely hate it when I paid $5 for the CGC notes and it actually has LESS info that what's shown on the label already, with the note stating only "coupon cut out page 32". Gives me the feeling that I was just ripped off. Does this mean that the book was perfect everywhere else (because it kind of appears that way from the front and back covers long with the PQ) and was simply knocked down from somewhere in the 9's down to this CGC 8.0 only because of the clipped coupon? Maybe I should take a flyer on it since it's still sitting at only around $200 to see why it's graded as only a CGC 8.0 book. Edited March 9, 2018 by lou_fine Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Artboy99 Posted March 9, 2018 Share Posted March 9, 2018 I could see the 8.5 copy getting a 9.2 -9.4 on a crack - press - resub on a good grading day. Maybe the buyer paid thru the nose on that basis? Otherwise I am as baffled as the rest of you why 0.5 is worth $20,000 more. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rjpb Posted March 10, 2018 Share Posted March 10, 2018 The grade looks a little soft on the 8.0, but still, the price difference is crazy. The desire to have the nicest graded copy gets a big premium though, especially with SA books. If a 9.0 pops up in the future, the 8.5 tumbles in potential resale value. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mmehdy Posted March 11, 2018 Share Posted March 11, 2018 trophy book..the best..and somebody paid for that... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Aman619 Posted March 11, 2018 Share Posted March 11, 2018 Lois Lane 1s have topped out at 8.0 for many years now. And the census kept adding a few more 8.0s over the years which diminished the highest graded status die to being shared by a small pile of 8s. Normally an 8.0 at the top of the census isn’t usually a great bet to keep its Highest graded status forever. So now that finally an 8.5 appears, it’s not hard for me to imagine that two ardent collectors went all out to snag the best copy. And ran into each other so that the higher crazy bid won it. And DCs from this era may in fact turn out to not have any 9.2s or 9.4s at all. Or at least until the last big time collector finally decides to slab and sell their books they have owned for decades already. So the buyer should be happy with his new book — except maybe for being maxed out on his bid. jimjum12 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tth2 Posted March 11, 2018 Share Posted March 11, 2018 6 minutes ago, Aman619 said: And DCs from this era may in fact turn out to not have any 9.2s or 9.4s at all. Or at least until the last big time collector finally decides to slab and sell their books they have owned for decades already. So when are you finally unlocking your vault? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lou_fine Posted March 11, 2018 Share Posted March 11, 2018 On 3/10/2018 at 10:36 AM, rjpb said: The grade looks a little soft on the 8.0, but still, the price difference is crazy. The desire to have the nicest graded copy gets a big premium though, especially with SA books. If a 9.0 pops up in the future, the 8.5 tumbles in potential resale value. To each their own, I would say as there are many here who buy and pay according to the label, regardless of how the actual book itself presents relative to its assigned grade. I guess it really depends on how much confidence and trust you have in CGC's ability to grade not only accurately, but also to grade on a consistent basis. Based upon what I have seen over the years, I would personally be wary of paying multiples more for a meagre and subjective 0.5 increment in grade. gino2paulus2 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rjpb Posted March 12, 2018 Share Posted March 12, 2018 29 minutes ago, lou_fine said: To each their own, I would say as there are many here who buy and pay according to the label, regardless of how the actual book itself presents relative to its assigned grade. I guess it really depends on how much confidence and trust you have in CGC's ability to grade not only accurately, but also to grade on a consistent basis. Based upon what I have seen over the years, I would personally be wary of paying multiples more for a meagre and subjective 0.5 increment in grade. I think most here would agree with that sentiment, but all it takes is two label chasers to end up with results that defy that logic. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jimjum12 Posted March 12, 2018 Share Posted March 12, 2018 Premium for PQ ? ..........*ahem*................plus top census............... uncommon in grade (..... and yes, 10 copies at 8.0 and up is not that many) ....... I guess what we have here is either a meeting of the" PQ Don't Matter Klub " .......or some Lois haters GOD BLESS.... -jimbo(a friend of jesus) FoggyNelson and 1950's war comics 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sqeggs Posted March 12, 2018 Author Share Posted March 12, 2018 1 minute ago, jimjum12 said: Premium for PQ ? ..........*ahem*................plus top census............... uncommon in grade (..... and yes, 10 copies at 8.0 and up is not that many) ....... I guess what we have here is either a meeting of the" PQ Don't Matter Klub " .......or some Lois haters GOD BLESS.... -jimbo(a friend of jesus) Actually, I think it's only five copies in 8.0 and up (the 8.5 and four 8.0s) or six if you count a restored 8.5. I don't think the price for the 8.5 is shocking in and of itself; it's the huge price gap between the 8.0 and 8.5 sold in the same auction that's surprising, at least to me. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...